 |
| Lisa Dickinson |
Lisa had blonde hair and blue eyes with a fair complexion. She was 4' 10" and weighed pounds at the time of her disappearance. She was last seen in a yellow crew neck t-shirt with with the word Happiness on it and an image of the cartoon character Snoopy printed on the front, blue cut-off shorts and white leather sandals with three straps.
I am saddened that Lisa's case is still unsolved. There were a lot of predators taking advantage of the days when kids could be out and about by themselves, using the street lights coming on as a sign to go home. Doors were unlocked and hitch hiking was not out of the norm. These were the "safe" days, but in these days, sex offenders, rapists and serial killers used this to their advantage to easily take their victims. I do not think Lisa was any exception. The main theory for decades is that a kidnapper took Lisa off her bike. We know she most likely did not runaway-she was only nine and seemed to have a good life at home. From what I could read, she was a happy kid. Could she have been taken for human trafficking? It's a possibility we can't count out, but it seems most likely she was taken by a predator who was a repeat offender, possibly working alone with experience of taking children from previous crimes. In Lisa's case, I was able to dig up two possible suspects to her disappearance.
First, I must write about the different witness accounts. Several witnesses reported seeing a Caucasian male driving a medium-sized motorcycle Ygnacio Valley Road at the intersection of Walnut Avenue (two blocks east of Heather Farms Park, at exactly 7:30 PM. The man was not wearing a helmet, so witnesses were able to provide investigators some details about him. He looked to be in his early forties, with curly brown hair, a mustache and chunky build. A Caucasian female was witnessed to be riding behind him wearing a white helmet, and she looked to be between eight to twelve years old. It was never verified who the man was, or if the child was Lisa.
The prime suspect in her disappearance is Louis Richard Fresquez. He was thirty-four years old at the time of Lisa's disappearance, and was serving time in the California Prison System since 1987 for sex related crimes. He was a free man during the time of Lisa's disappearance, and for many years after she vanished. He was set to be released from prison in June of 2012. Unfortunately, investigators could not charge him with Lisa's disappearance because they did not have enough evidence against him. Fresquez was serving time for sex crimes he committed against four young women from Contra Costa County. He also had two separate incidents where he tried to entice young girls into his car. Even more interesting, he led police on a chase. They caught him, only to find a 12 year-old girl that he has sexually assaulted. He had kidnapped her the day before while she was walking from her house to the fairgrounds to feed her horse.
Second is Phillip Joseph Hughes, Jr, who is serving concurrent life sentences in the slayings of three young women in the early 1970s, all petite brunettes, who reminded him of his former girlfriend. He operated in the Almeda and Costa Contra County areas. More specifically, his victims were from the Lamorinda, Rodeo, San Pablo and Walnut Creek Area. The Walnut Creek area is where Lisa vanished from. Despite being convicted of three murders, he is believed to have been responsible for many other unsolved disappearances and murders involving young women and girls.
His first known killing was of 19 year-old Maureen Hill, a Pleasant Hill resident who vanished November 14, 1972 after working her shift at K-Mart. She was found stabbed and strangled four months later. On January 26, 1974, Hughes and his wife, Shannon Perrin, kidnapped 15 year-old Lisa Ann Beery at knife-point from her Montclair home. Her remains were found in a Rheem hillside in July of 1979. The third victim he was convicted of murdering was 25 year-old Letitia Fagot, who was found strangled to death in her Walnut Creek home. The recently identified remains of Cossette Ellison, who disappeared after school on March 3, 1970, give light to the idea that she may have been one of Hughes' earliest victims. She vanished from the drive way of her Moraga home. Her remains were found on January 1, 1971 in a ravine off Morgan Territory Road by Clayton. Investigators believe he is a good suspect for any case involving young, brunette women that occurred from the late 1960's, to 1980, when he was arrested. This means he would also fit the timeline for Lisa's abduction. Lisa is also on the list of unsolved cases that Hughes may be tied to. Lisa was also a petite brunette, and although Hughes seemed to go for girls slightly older that he knew, he could have seen Lisa by herself and saw her as an easy target.
Another unsolved case on the list involves another young teen missing from Walnut Creek. 17 year-old Elaine Davis was last seen on December 1, 1969, baby-sitting her 3 year-old sister at home. Her body was later found floating off Lighthouse Point in Santa Cruz in 1969, but was not identified until May 2001.
Also missing from the Pleasant Hill area was 20 year-old Patricia King, who was found strangled to death with her leggings by the Diablo Valley College football stadium. She was last seen at her exercise class on March 5, 1970.
Before that, 16 year-old Leona Roberts vanished on November 10, 1969 from in front of her boyfriend's apartment in Rodeo. Her body was later found at Bolina's Lagoon a month later.
Also from a different area then the rest listed is nine year-old Tara Cossey, who was last seen walking to Pirelli's Liqour store in San Pablo to buy a bag of sugar for her mom on June 6, 1979.She was last seen inside the Montalvin Shopping Center. Other suspects are also considered in Tara's disappearance.
All these girls and women vanished from close proximity to one another, and in areas Hughes was operating. They are brunettes, and their cases all remain unsolved. Of course, there were a lot of serial killers who swept this area with fear, especially in the 1970s. Some others from the area are the I-5 killer, Joseph Naso, who was a photographer turned serial killer, rapist Darryl Kemp, serial killer Charles Jackson, The Zodiac Killer and the unknown East Area rapist. With all that was going on in the area, it seems to be most likely Lisa was a victim of a stranger abduction versus someone she knew taking her. Being she was alone in a unpopulated area at dusk I think she was victim of opportunity for who took her. Stranger abduction seems to have been a norm in the area in the 1970's.
First, I must write about the different witness accounts. Several witnesses reported seeing a Caucasian male driving a medium-sized motorcycle Ygnacio Valley Road at the intersection of Walnut Avenue (two blocks east of Heather Farms Park, at exactly 7:30 PM. The man was not wearing a helmet, so witnesses were able to provide investigators some details about him. He looked to be in his early forties, with curly brown hair, a mustache and chunky build. A Caucasian female was witnessed to be riding behind him wearing a white helmet, and she looked to be between eight to twelve years old. It was never verified who the man was, or if the child was Lisa.
 |
| Louis Fresquiz is the prime suspect in Lisa's disappearance. Without finding Lisa, they have never been able to convict him of anything. Photo Credit: CharleyProject.org |
Second is Phillip Joseph Hughes, Jr, who is serving concurrent life sentences in the slayings of three young women in the early 1970s, all petite brunettes, who reminded him of his former girlfriend. He operated in the Almeda and Costa Contra County areas. More specifically, his victims were from the Lamorinda, Rodeo, San Pablo and Walnut Creek Area. The Walnut Creek area is where Lisa vanished from. Despite being convicted of three murders, he is believed to have been responsible for many other unsolved disappearances and murders involving young women and girls.
His first known killing was of 19 year-old Maureen Hill, a Pleasant Hill resident who vanished November 14, 1972 after working her shift at K-Mart. She was found stabbed and strangled four months later. On January 26, 1974, Hughes and his wife, Shannon Perrin, kidnapped 15 year-old Lisa Ann Beery at knife-point from her Montclair home. Her remains were found in a Rheem hillside in July of 1979. The third victim he was convicted of murdering was 25 year-old Letitia Fagot, who was found strangled to death in her Walnut Creek home. The recently identified remains of Cossette Ellison, who disappeared after school on March 3, 1970, give light to the idea that she may have been one of Hughes' earliest victims. She vanished from the drive way of her Moraga home. Her remains were found on January 1, 1971 in a ravine off Morgan Territory Road by Clayton. Investigators believe he is a good suspect for any case involving young, brunette women that occurred from the late 1960's, to 1980, when he was arrested. This means he would also fit the timeline for Lisa's abduction. Lisa is also on the list of unsolved cases that Hughes may be tied to. Lisa was also a petite brunette, and although Hughes seemed to go for girls slightly older that he knew, he could have seen Lisa by herself and saw her as an easy target.
Another unsolved case on the list involves another young teen missing from Walnut Creek. 17 year-old Elaine Davis was last seen on December 1, 1969, baby-sitting her 3 year-old sister at home. Her body was later found floating off Lighthouse Point in Santa Cruz in 1969, but was not identified until May 2001.
Also missing from the Pleasant Hill area was 20 year-old Patricia King, who was found strangled to death with her leggings by the Diablo Valley College football stadium. She was last seen at her exercise class on March 5, 1970.
Before that, 16 year-old Leona Roberts vanished on November 10, 1969 from in front of her boyfriend's apartment in Rodeo. Her body was later found at Bolina's Lagoon a month later.
Tara was only 9 when she went missing while on a short walk from her home to buy sugar. Photo Credit: CharleyProject.org
Also from a different area then the rest listed is nine year-old Tara Cossey, who was last seen walking to Pirelli's Liqour store in San Pablo to buy a bag of sugar for her mom on June 6, 1979.She was last seen inside the Montalvin Shopping Center. Other suspects are also considered in Tara's disappearance.
All these girls and women vanished from close proximity to one another, and in areas Hughes was operating. They are brunettes, and their cases all remain unsolved. Of course, there were a lot of serial killers who swept this area with fear, especially in the 1970s. Some others from the area are the I-5 killer, Joseph Naso, who was a photographer turned serial killer, rapist Darryl Kemp, serial killer Charles Jackson, The Zodiac Killer and the unknown East Area rapist. With all that was going on in the area, it seems to be most likely Lisa was a victim of a stranger abduction versus someone she knew taking her. Being she was alone in a unpopulated area at dusk I think she was victim of opportunity for who took her. Stranger abduction seems to have been a norm in the area in the 1970's.
Please take time to look at her picture and remember her story. Maybe you could help bring her home. When you hear of stories like Jaycee Dugard's, who knows-maybe Lisa could be your next door neighbor.
If you have any information about the disappearance of Lisa Dickinson, or any of the other unsolved cases of Leona Roberts, Patricia King, Elaine Davis or Cossette Ellison please contact:
 |
| Photo Credit: CharleyProject.org |
Walnut Creek Police Department
925-935-6400
If you have any information about the disappearance of Tara Cossey, please contact
 |
| From Charley Project, an age progression of Tara Cossey. |
Contra Costa County Sheriff's Department
925-335-1582
OR
1-800-THELOST
Source:
http://www.charleyproject.org/
http://www.walnut-creek.org/citygov/depts/police/cold_case_investigations/dickinson_kidnapping.asp
http://www.crimezzz.net/serialkiller_news/H/HUGHES_phillip_joseph_jr.php
http://www.zodiackillersite.com/viewtopic.php?f=37&t=651 (news article)
http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/nationalbreaking/ci_18491775
http://www.charleyproject.org/
http://www.walnut-creek.org/citygov/depts/police/cold_case_investigations/dickinson_kidnapping.asp
http://www.crimezzz.net/serialkiller_news/H/HUGHES_phillip_joseph_jr.php
http://www.zodiackillersite.com/viewtopic.php?f=37&t=651 (news article)
http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/nationalbreaking/ci_18491775
I sat next to Lisa in her San Miguel Elementary classroom. I can clearly recall her empty desk to the right of mine. Very sad indeed. I am a teacher now and I just used her story as a cautionary tale for my students.
ReplyDeleteI also knew Lisa from school. Her disappearance has stayed with me. Shortly before she was abducted, another girl and I were approached by a half naked man in a gold car who tried to get us to get in. We never reported it out of fear. I hope Lisa has found peace.
ReplyDelete2539047312 I can't send emails or seem to get anywhere without being lied on hurt or shutdown I have no car or busses here I'd like my dna compared to Lisa's plz
ReplyDeleteMy mother worked with Lisa's mother and I recall my mother telling us kids about Lisa's disappearance to make us aware this could happen to us. We were a little older than Lisa at the time of her disappearance but it could have happened. A couple of years later, Lisa's mother returned to work, understandibly still heartbroken, shaken and lost not knowing what happened to her little girl. My mother was a sounding board for Lisa's mother and she told my mom that she believed, based on what detectives learned, they thought Lisa was sold into white slavery in Mexico.
ReplyDelete